Storage rack systems for elongated items, or objects, are known in the art and are useful for storing, organizing and displaying a multiplicity of relatively long and heavy structural members such as, for examples, elongated H-beams, angle irons, C-channels, square or round tubing and the likes.
Typical prior art storage rack systems for elongated items can vary in size and complexity, from the simple pair of wooden transverses laid on the floor on which are horizontally piled up the elongated items, to the multi-stage horizontal or vertical static racking structures, and to the more complex rack structure comprising vertically spaced and horizontally slidable drawers for storing the elongated items. Heavy elongated items are generally stored and retrieved from these prior art storage rack systems using single-hook or double-hook overhead cranes.
While these prior art devices generally offer a storage rack system for storage of elongated items, they also entail one or more of the following disadvantages. First, their method of storing elongated items, in horizontally disposed piles or in upright stacks, does not offer a clear and concise view of each individual items stored in inventory. Also, their method of storing elongated items also generally does not provide a direct and unobstructed access to each individual items, which often results in time consuming operations to reach and retrieve a selected item in the middle or bottom of a pile. In addition, their method of handling and storing elongated items also often results in safety concerns for the material handling personnel, as well as a high risk of damage to the outer surfaces of the stored items. For example, it is not uncommon that a pile of horizontally disposed H-beams inadvertently tumbles down and spreads laterally. The horizontal disposition of the stored elongated items generally requires a relatively expensive and cumbersome double-hook crane to properly and safely handle the horizontally disposed elongated items in and out of the storage system. Otherwise, when a single-hook crane is used, its point of attachment must be located almost above the balance point of the horizontal load, which is also often the source of safety concerns in industrial working environments.
These storage systems also generally occupy a substantial amount of floor space and are generally not well adapted to store relatively shorter than average items since these items usually cause unbalance or bending of adjacent elongated items when stored in the middle of a horizontal pile of similar items. These shorter than average items are often sent to a recycling process, which is not necessarily the most environmentally friendly solution.
Some storage rack systems comprise horizontally movable drawers, but they are often complex and expensive to produce.
In view of the above, there is a need in the industry for an improved storage rack system.
An object of the present invention is to provide such a storage rack system.